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E Pluribus Unum - Out of Many, One
s.n.

In July, 1997 sixty Jewish, Protestant and Catholic high school graduates from across the USA gathered for three weeks at American University in Washington, DC before heading off for their first year of college. They gathered to explore the shared values of their religions in order to apply them to three current pressing social and political issues - human rights, poverty and the environment. The occasion was the E Pluribus Unum Conference - a joint venture of the Washington Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, the National Council of Churches, and the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry.

E Pluribus Unum (“Out of the Many, One”) is the motto of the USA in its effort to hold together various backgrounds and multiple ethnic, cultural and religious identities in one centralized country. Referring to this the Project Director and Founder, Rabbi Sid Schwartz, said in his opening remarks:
“In the history of human civilization, religion is the most common way that people have divided themselves. Through particular beliefs, customs, values and rituals, religion has provided humanity with a symbolic way to give life meaning. Unfortunately, for much of human history, the stronger one’s allegiance to one’s religion, the more likely one was to reject and ridicule other religions.

“There is a very big difference between bad religion and good religion. Bad religion is triumphant. It confuses ends and means. It places doctrines over people. It accepts injustice as a divinely-ordained condition, beyond the ability of humanity to affect. It breeds self-righteousness. Good religion recognizes that there are many equally valid paths to God. It puts a premium on acts of kindness and compassion for others. It is based on the belief that every person is made in the image of God. It promotes the belief that a human being’s duty here on earth is to repair a broken world, a concept which the Jewish tradition calls tikkun olam. We need to recognize that every religion represented in this room today has elements of good religion and bad. My hope is that this Conference will help you learn the difference and thereby make religion a more effective tool for the betterment of our world.

“We are, therefore, a grand experiment. Our hope is that we can use the very religious traditions that in fact divide us from each other, to unite us. We hope to do that, not by minimizing the importance of our respective faith traditions, but rather by exploring those core values of our respective faith traditions that might bring us closer to working in partnership towards creating ‘the common good’. The key to creating a democratic, pluralistic society that demonstrates concern for the outsider, the oppressed, the hungry and the weak is not to make us all the same. We are strengthened when we celebrate our differences and, simultaneously, recognize that we are all enriched when we recognize our common humanity. If we can, out of our diversity, create an intentional, spiritual community for three weeks, modeling tolerance and respect in speech, religious practice and beliefs, we will gain a glimpse of the possibilities of a truly civil society.”

By engaging in dialogue with nationally renowned policy makers and social activists, the young people had the opportunity to learn about a world considerably larger than the one they normally occupy. Through study with carefully selected religious educators, they had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of their own faith tradition, and by living, eating, working, and playing with their peers of other traditions, they had an opportunity to find common ground among themselves. Through community service, simulations and field trips, they engaged with worlds less privileged than their own. Artists representing five different media provided them with an opportunity to explore ways to integrate their artistic talents with their spiritual lives. Underlying all of this was the idea of community: intentionally connecting with others to make a difference in the world.

At the close of the Conference, having understood the imperative of living lives of service and commitment, the participants drafted and signed the following statement:


Communal covenant of commitment

Justice, justice shall you pursue. (Dt 16:20)

We, the students of E Pluribus Unum, gathered together for three weeks to build an intentional spiritual community comprised of youth of the Catholic, Jewish and Protestant faith traditions. We studied the academic teachings related to poverty, the environment and human rights in our respective faith traditions and explored the common ground within all three faith traditions. Also, we expressed our values through service, living in community and spiritual arts. In this document we reflect upon and come to consensus on what these teachings mean to us and how we will apply them in working towards justice in the greater community.


Community

I. We recognize the importance of community in our actions and in our own personal development. Each of us brought a unique dish to the table of community. The “potluck” meal, created through sharing our own diverse experiences, nourished our spirits with sights, sounds, tastes and textures. To share bread is to share life.

II. Each of our faith traditions emphasize the importance of community. Qo 4:9-12 declares: Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion...a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Many of our traditions and holidays focus on shared meals as a means of coming together. In Exodus 5, the people of God gathered together in the wilderness to share a feast. In the Christian tradition, Jesus shares himself with a community of disciples through communion. In Jg 20:1 ...the congregation gathered together as one people before the Lord.

III. Although the meal we have shared at E Pluribus Unum will not last forever, what we have gleaned from our shared experiences nourishes our entire being and helps us to grow stronger. We will take the recipes from each other into society, take the responsibilities of community - stewardship, respect, understanding and openness - and apply them to all we encounter. We will practice tolerance for one another’s religions, beliefs and feelings, and extend altruistic actions to those outside our own groups and societies. By opening ourselves to diverse experiences and opinions, sampling every dish, our own knowledge and spirituality will be enhanced.


Human Rights

I. Created in the image of God we are all endowed with human rights. Through much discussion on the exact extent of these rights, we concluded that human rights are grounded in the fundamental dignity of the individual. Most would agree that the protection of human rights is a primary obligation of any faith tradition. The issue of human rights became more complex, however, when we considered the conflict between our national interests and the rights of individuals.

II. Using all three faith traditions, we identified a mutual support for the concept of human rights. Is 10:1-2 states: Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and who write oppressive decrees, depriving the needy of judgment and robbing my people’s poor of their rights. In Mt 25:40 Jesus teaches a similar message: And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’

III. In order to preserve, defend and secure human rights we will strive to champion the cause of all individuals throughout the world, even when it requires significant sacrifice. As humans and representatives of our faith traditions, we must share the blessings of liberty and human rights that we enjoy, with the rest of humankind.


Poverty

I. We see poverty manifest itself through homelessness, malnutrition and subhuman living conditions. Through exploration and learning about poverty, our definition has grown to include such characteristics as lack of hope for the future, emotional and/or spiritual instability, denial of inalienable rights, and not having a sense of purpose in life. We have studied Jewish and Christian teachings and applied them to our beliefs about poverty.

II. Poverty is one of the most contemplated topics throughout both the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. The continual references to this issue led us to believe that the way we treat the poor is very significant. Give me neither poverty nor riches, lest in my poverty I steal and dishonor Thee or in my riches I forget Thee. - Proverbs. From Mt 25:44-45 comes an essential teaching of Christianity, which serves as the basis of the Catholic teaching of the “Preferential Option for the Poor”: Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to Thee?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not to the least of these, you did it not to me.’ As creations of God, we believe we should minister to the poor, in accordance with Rm 12:13 which states, Practice hospitality. Lv 25:35 - And if your brother becomes poor, and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall maintain him; as a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. Not only has the study of values from our faith traditions shaped our views on poverty, but events such as a panel of homeless persons sharing their individual experiences has shown us first-hand the reality of poverty. Also, speaker Jim Wallis of Sojourners taught us that besides merely working for immediate change, we should go to the roots of the problem of poverty to create long term solutions.

III. We now have a greater sense of commitment to the impoverished. We believe that we are called to act on the principles of our individual faith traditions to promote justice in our immediate and larger communities. This is in direct correlation with the Jewish concept of tzedakah, which literally means ‘righteousness’. We pledge to carry out justice not only because it is charitable, but because it is right. Beginning now and continuing beyond the E Pluribus Unum Conference, we will alleviate the poverty dilemma by leaving our comfort zones and reaching out in material, spiritual and intellectual ways, to sacrifice some of our personal time for the poor. We must remember the wisdom of the Talmud (Sanhedrin 37a), When you save one life, you save the entire world.


Environment

I. We understand the concept of environment to be the immediate surroundings of every individual, including the land on which we live, in city or country, the air we breathe, the water we drink, our food, our fellow humans, and all creatures with which we share the earth. Through the studies of our respective faith traditions, we learned that caring for the environment is essential for all who wish to live healthy lives.

II. We understand that we have been appointed guardians of the earth by God and it is not ours to do as we please. The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. - Ps 24:1. We understand that God is found in nature. To connect with nature is to connect with God. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed...Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches. - Mt 13:31-32. Nature is the very essence of Deity. - Israel Baal Shem Tov. We understand that needless and wanton destruction of the resources of the earth is forbidden, even in the case of war. When you lay siege to a city for a long time...do not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them? - Dt 20:19. We understand that there will be no second chances when it comes to the destruction of the earth. In Ecclesiates Rabbah (7:28) God says to Adam, Now all that I have created, I created for your credit. Think upon this and do not corrupt and destroy My world, for if you destroy it, there is no one to restore it after you. We also remember that our actions not only affect us, but all those who come after us. Our covenant is not only with those standing here with us this day, but also with those who are not here with us this day. – Dt 29:13-14.

III. Therefore, we recognize that these common values put forth by our individual faith traditions call each of us to care for, protect, cultivate and respect the earth that God has given to us all. We realize that there is a need to always be conscious of our actions and habits which affect our environment. We are also prepared to act upon these values and this consciousness, even to the extent of sacrificing certain amenities and luxuries, to ensure the health of the earth and the health of ourselves.


Service

I. We understand service to be acts of stewardship toward those in need in order to better humanity. These acts vary from the most abstract to the most concrete. As we have learned through both our personal experiences and the ones that we have shared together, we must let volunteer service become a focal point in our lives.

II. We understand that, as people of faith, our duty is to lend a helping hand to those in need. If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. - Dt 15:7-8. In this Hebrew Scripture it is apparent that all people of belief should lend a helping hand to those in need. This universal concept is also stated in the Christian Scriptures through the parable of the good Samaritan. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. - Lk 10:27. In this passage we recognize that we should treat others as we would like to be treated. In our service together we have come to the understanding that any act of love whether big or small matters in the eyes of God.

III. The common values which are set forth by our individual faith traditions call us to serve all those who are in need. Therefore, we will strive to make a difference by giving up personal time for the causes of justice and mercy. We will take our experiences and the knowledge that we have learned and apply them to our everyday lives. Using such concepts as humility in spirit, compassion in service and optimism in times of tribulation, we will supply hope for the future.


Spiritual Arts and Worship

I. Spiritual arts and worship act as outlets for creativity and allow us to connect with the Divine through personal expression. These creative manifestations are voices from the soul and call out what is just and true in the world. As stated in Is 12:5, Sing to the Lord...shout aloud and shout for joy people of Zion. During our ecumenical worship services, we enriched our individual faith traditions by learning about other religions. Often expression is therapeutic; we must find a peace from within before we can cater to the needs of others. By utilizing our individual talents for the glory of God, we intensify our personal faith while helping to enhance our relationship with others in the surrounding community. Each of us understands God differently; our expressions of worship illustrate that diversity. However, the arts are an international language and transcend race and creed. Because these arts are universally shared, they are a powerful source of communication for all.

II. Spiritual arts and worship are often mentioned throughout Scripture. We are often called to express ourselves through means other than spoken words. For example: Praise the Lord with a lyre...sing to Him a new song, play skillfully to Him on the strings with loud shouts. - Ps 33:2-3; Praise Him with tambourines and dance. - Ps 150:4. In the realms of creative writing, the parables of Jesus speak through eloquent poetry and prose. In Mk 4:30, the parable of the mustard seed uses symbols to convey His meaning to others. In Rv 21:18-19 we hear: The wall was constructed of Jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the city were decorated with every precious stone.

III. All individuals possess unique talents which they can add to the collective group. Moreover, “You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note” (anonymous). Therefore, while expressing oneself in a group, each person must remember to integrate and blend his/her gifts without losing the style which is distinctively one’s own. The challenge arises when we enter the real world and attempt to find the spiritual connection through artistic outlets. It is easy to find the presence of God when we take the time to see God’s beauty in all aspects of our daily lives.


Epilogue

We therefore commit to strive to live according to the moral teachings of our traditions in the pursuit of justice through study, dialogue and social activism. Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children, and your children’s children. - Dt 4:9. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead. In testimony to this communal expression of commitment, we hereby affix our signatures this 18th day of July, 1997.



One year later, after completing their first year of college, four E Pluribus Unum (EPU) participants say:


Sheila McCarthy, Duxbury, MA (Roman Catholic)

Having discovered my faith a year or so before EPU, I went seeking to reconcile my faith with my religion. I didn’t see my own church reaching out to the naked, sick, hungry, imprisoned, and homeless, and I didn’t know of any that did. Going to EPU, grounding my faith in Catholic Social Teaching, Liberation Theology, and a preferential option for the poor, I became excited about the things that were going on within my faith tradition. I’ve embraced these ideas and practices, and my worship has changed as a result. Discovering all that our three traditions have to offer about poverty, homelessness, and the environment gives me hope for the future, but also a grave responsibility to share with others what I have learned, to bring the disillusioned back to faith and change our worship structure so that we are truly in solidarity with the poor. And most importantly of all, to change my own life, live out these ideas, perform the scriptures, and act on God’s behalf.
Sheila has now completed her first year at the University of Notre Dame in Theology, Environmental Studies and Peace Studies.



Adam Buckstein, Englewood, CO (Jewish)

EPU has had an immense impact on my life. The experience helped me nurture as well as solidify my Jewish heritage. As well, it simultaneously introduced me to the rich world of interfaith relations. Sure, I had Christian friends before I went, but I was always hesitant to discuss spiritual and religious topics. Within the first few days of the conference, I was internalizing the awesome reforms of the Second Vatican Council, mentally sifting through the main Protestant edicts, and equally rewarding, sharing the wisdom of ancient Jewish rabbis as I studied the Ethics of the Fathers with my new Christian friends. The chemistry of the diverse group was undoubtedly an act of providence. Above all else, EPU has given me the courage to share my religion on several occasions during my freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania where I am studying business and English. For example, I found myself explaining the gravity defying science of the kippah before I took my Christian friends to Friday night services. Best of all, my experiences at EPU were far from unique. as the same experiences were shared by fifty-nine others.


Briton Holmberg, New Hartford, NY (Methodist)

EPU gave me hope. It gave me strength. EPU enabled me to sit down with about sixty other soon-to-be college freshmen and discuss important issues around faith and the common good. Therefore, it gave me hope that others were thinking about these topics and strength in that my faith was deepened by this dialogue. EPU put God back into my life. It surrounded me with incredible people, beautiful people who dared to dream high and achieve even higher. It inspired me by challenging me to become more involved with the three issues of human rights, the environment and poverty. Finally, my understanding of the Jewish faith increased tenfold. After my interaction with twenty Jewish students, including a Shabbat and a service, I feel more aware and more enlightened about the Jewish tradition. I know this can only help me in the future. I now have several Jewish friends and my Jewish friends at school and at home talk with me about issues like interfaith marriage and the Holocaust. It’s been fascinating.
Briton has now finished his first year in Education at Cornell University.


Jessica Intrator, San Jose, CA (Jewish)

In a comparative literature class that I took this year, we explored the difficulty authors often have in keeping what we called ‘spirit contained within letter’. In other words, it is common to find endless text - physical writing, letter or action, that does not hold any meaning or spirit value. The discussion prompted thought of one of the issues which struck me most profoundly at the E Pluribus Unum conference: how can the spirit of religious faith be transposed into the letter of action? If the Torah was only letters, words painted on a scroll, it would be nothing; but if it was purely spirit or divine, and never interpreted into letter, its value to humans would also be nothing. As it is, though, the divine and the words are linked. Can I live like Torah, and manifest my spiritual profundities into letter, into action? This is the question that EPU awakened me to. No longer do I assume myself to be true to a belief in alleviating injustice unless I see myself physically acting to do so. Each moment is a positive struggle for the letters of my life to embody the religious and spiritual faith to which I turn.
Jessica has now completed her first year of Religious and Environmental Studies at Brown University.